CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF TURKEY – MARXIST LENINIST

(Established: 24 April 1972)

[2024]

SECTION I.

Party Membership

a) Membership Conditions

Although priority is given to those whose class origin is workers and poor peasants, anyone who fulfils the following conditions can become a member of TKP-ML. TKP-ML applies positive discrimination against working women in recruiting members.

To accept the party program and constitution

Working in a party committee.

To pay party dues regularly.

To be 18 years old.

b) Membership Procedures

Party membership is on an individual basis. The person who wants to become a member notifies the party committee he/she is in contact with in writing.

Membership application: It becomes final upon the approval of the acceptance or rejection decision of the party committee, which includes at least three party members, by a higher committee.

The person whose membership application is accepted by the authorized committees is accepted as a Candidate Member from the date of application. In cases where the party committee in the relationship makes a proposal to the person to apply for membership and the person accepts, candidate membership starts from this date. The relevant Party committee is directly responsible for the development and preparation of the candidate member for membership and their implementation under strict supervision.

At the end of the six-month probationary membership period, the party committee to which the person is affiliated will make the decision to accept, reject or extend the probationary membership period by 6 months. The decision taken by the party committee must be approved by the CC. In case of a rejection decision, if there is no inconvenience for party security, the reason is notified to the person in writing.

After the decision of the congress or conference is taken, the procedures for admission to membership and expulsion from membership are suspended. Candidate memberships and new applications during this process are evaluated at or after congresses and conferences.

c) Duties of the Member

1- To continuously raise his/her ideological-political level to improve himself/herself; for this purpose, to attach particular importance to reading, study and research activities. To comprehend and apply Marxism-Leninism-Maoism as a guide to action. To combine theory and practice.

2- To examine all the party’s publications with a careful, critical eye; to be familiar with the policies and tactics of the leadership in line with the central orientation of the party.

3- To be vigilant, determined and relentless in the struggle against all kinds of factional work aimed at destroying the unity and communist character of the party; against all anti-Marxism-Leninism-Maoism thoughts and currents. Not to be discouraged even under conditions where they are in the minority, to have the courage to fight against the current.

4- To obey party discipline unconditionally, to play an insightful, creative and active role in the implementation of party decisions. To unconditionally accept the tasks assigned by the party.

5- To be a student first in order to be a teacher of the people. To apply the principle of public service in every aspect of life. Participating in the spontaneous struggles of the people, trying to organize them and being at the forefront to give them a conscious direction. To try to solve difficulties together with the people, to make tireless efforts to make them understand party politics and the laws of class struggle.

6- To put above all else the cause of the liberation of the people, the struggle of the proletariat to achieve a classless society and the Communist Party, which is the vanguard of these ideals. To have a consistent, humble, selfless and exemplary personality in life, social relations and behavior. To live in accordance with communist principles and revolutionary values.

7- To fight against patriarchy and to raise public awareness in this direction. To actively fight against gender discrimination and gender roles within the party and the masses.

8– To act sincerely and honestly towards the party, comrades, the people and oneself. To be open, determined and courageous in criticism and self-criticism in order not to repeat mistakes, to eliminate deficiencies and overcome weaknesses. To use the weapon of criticism constructively and within the party.

9- To pay ten percent of his/her income as party dues, working to meticulously protect and develop the party’s financial means. To record all expenditures and regularly submit them to the committee to which he/she is affiliated.

10- To report regularly to the committee to which he/she is affiliated with on all his/her work.

11- To continue the class struggle even under conditions of imprisonment, turning torture centers, prisons and courts into positions of resistance and propaganda fields of communism.

12- Strictly adhering to the rules of secrecy / illegality in organizational work, carefully protecting party secrets and values.

13- To fulfill the duties of proletarian internationalism, to fight against the persecution of oppressed nations and nationalities, chauvinism and all forms of nationalism.

d) Rights of the Member

1- In the party committees of which he/she is a member and in the party meetings he/she attends; to express opinions, make suggestions and criticisms about the party’s policy and activity; to actively participate in the determination of party policy.

2- To elect and be elected.

3- To defend oneself when accused and tried.

4- To apply in writing to all higher levels up to the CC about the problems that he cannot solve in the party committee he is a member of.

5- To resign from party membership, provided that he/she gives his/her reasons in writing or orally.

e) Rights and Duties of the Candidate Member

Party candidate members have all the rights granted to party members, except the right to elect, be elected, recruit, judge and vote to determine the will of the party. The duties of party members also apply to candidate members.

f) Trial and Disciplinary Penalties

1– Members and candidate members who disrupt unity, disobey decisions and discipline, undermine internal party democracy, refuse to accept duties, do not attend the meetings of the committee of which they are a member without a valid excuse, use their authority outside of its purpose, discriminate against the party with their behavior, commit crimes and discrimination against the public and women, children and LGBTI+ in particular, are subject to investigation, trial and punishment.

2– The person to be tried shall be tried on the highest committee where he/she works if there are at least two party members other than himself/herself, or in the next higher committee if there are not. Administrative measures (dismissal from their duties or freezing powers, etc.) may be taken against the person or committees on trial.

3- In accusations related to women and LGBTI+ (sexual harassment, rape, violence, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, etc.), the investigation and trial are carried out by the KKB or CC-KK (Women’s Committee). TKP-ML accepts the principle of “the victim’s statement is essential, the burden of proof to the contrary belongs to the perpetrator” in such investigations.

4- Party committees or members can also apply to the Central Supervisory Board (MDK) with a request for trial. Requesters of rejected requests are notified in writing with the reasons.

5- The MDK may establish commissions for investigations, but the trial shall be conducted by the MDK. In periods when the MDK is not formed, the CC fulfills this duty. All decisions are made by simple majority.

6- After the investigation phase, during which information and documents are collected and statements are taken, the proceedings begin by directing allegations to the person and asking for his/her defense. The defense can also be made verbally. The person is obliged to submit his/her defense within two months at the latest after the accusations are submitted. If the two-month period is exceeded, the right to defense is considered to have been exercised. If the person is found guilty; one of the following penalties shall be imposed, taking into account the degree of short and long-term damages caused to the party by the crime committed, the sincerity of the person on trial in the face of allegations and criticisms, his/her history in party activity, the circumstances in which the crime was committed and the mitigating and aggravating consequences of other factors:

I-Warning, II-Severe Warning, III-Dismissal, IV- Demotion to Candidate Membership, V-Expulsion.

Expulsion from the Party is the most severe punishment.

7- The committee or member who is penalized may appeal to the MDK, or in its absence, to the CC. Until the appeal is finalized, the MDK decides whether to apply the penalty decision. The MDK’s decisions on the proceedings take effect immediately. The MDK is accountable to the congress and conferences.

SECTION II.

Principles of Organization

TKP-ML; In the age of imperialism and proletarian revolutions, based on the basic principle of internationalism “the proletariat’s revolution in its own country”, it considers the revolution in Turkey as a part of the world proletarian revolution. It struggles to rally its members and the whole people under the red banner of the proletariat against all forms of nationalism.

It fights for the unity of the international communist movement on the basis of Marxist-Leninist-Maoist principles. It is aware that this unity can be achieved through ideological struggle.

It supports national and social liberation struggles that weaken and set back imperialism in the international arena.

While adopting international proletarian solidarity, it is based on the principle of relying on its own strength.

TKP-ML is based on voluntary unity. It accepts illegal organization as primary and other forms of organization as secondary. It acts with proletarian discipline functioning according to the principles of democratic centralism. It characterizes the principle of criticism-self-criticism as one of the most necessary conditions for its development. It adopts the two-line struggle within the party. It does not allow the existence of factions that disrupt and disintegrate the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist unity of will and action.

TKP-ML implements the 30 percent quota system in all its committees, especially its executive bodies.

Based on the fact that the organizing principle of the TKP-ML is democratic centralism:

a) All central decisions are binding for the whole party. Members are obliged to implement party decisions completely, even if they find them wrong.

b) Members express their opinions on all issues related to party activity in the committees they serve on and in the meetings they attend. Members can forward their opinions, suggestions and criticisms to a higher committee. Suppressing criticism within the party and blocking criticism with administrative measures is incompatible with the principle of democratic centralism.

c) Single discipline is valid in the party. As a requirement of this, individuals are subject to the party, lower levels to upper levels, minority to majority, the whole party to the CC, and the CC to the Congress and Conference.

d) Until the democratic people’s revolution, which is the minimum program of the party, is realized, only the CC and MDK come to power through bottom-up democratic elections, since illegal organization is essential. Other organs are formed by appointment. All members can nominate candidates for the election of the CC and the MDK and can open a debate by objecting to the nominated candidates.

e) All committees report regularly to the higher committee on their activities. Reports, including objections and comments, must be approved by all members of the committee.

f) All executive committees of the Party are accountable to their subordinate levels.

g) All party committees are obliged to create a democratic environment for discussion in which members can offer their criticism and suggestions. The Party applies criticism and self-criticism as a condition for progress and renewal.

SECTION III.

Basic Organs of the Party

a) Party committees are the basic organs of the party in the masses and are organized according to the cell system.

b) Party committees are the collective working organs of the members. They are responsible for arming themselves with MLM ideology through regular training and educating themselves to the extent that they can apply communist theory to all areas of life.

c) Committees consist of at least three members or candidate members. Party committees led by members and candidate members are organized according to the cell system.

d) Each party committee has a secretary and a deputy secretary. The committee secretary is primarily responsible for all the work carried out and maintains contact with the higher committee. The deputy assumes the duties of the committee secretary when he is prevented or absent. The committee secretary is obliged to prepare the deputy for this task.

e) Party committees are formed in factories, villages, schools, fascist state institutions; within all mass organizations, especially workers’ and peasants’ organizations; in short, wherever there are masses.

f) Party committees ensure that the Party takes root in the masses and leads the masses.

g) The Party establishes special task cells based on its needs.

SECTION IV.

Leading Bodies

The leading organs of the Party are the Party Congress, the Party Conference, the Central Committee and the Regional Committees.

a) Party Congress

The party congress is the highest organ of the party. The congress has the authority to amend the party program and statute, to determine the party’s periodic policies and tactics, to resolve the party’s ideological, political, military and organizational problems, to evaluate the CC activity report, to elect CC members and substitute members.

The conference has the powers of the congress on issues other than changing the program.

The party congress (party conference in the absence of a congress) convenes every three years.

The congress convenes under the leadership of the CC, with no less than an absolute majority of the number of delegates. The CC may postpone the congress for a maximum of one year in extraordinary circumstances, with the approval of the party will.

At the will of the Central Committee or one-third of the party members, with a preparation not exceeding six months, the Extraordinary Party Congress or Conference may be convened before the expiration of the ordinary three-year period.

The congress shall be held by delegate procedure. The number of members a delegate will represent is determined by the CC. Delegates are elected at sub-regional congresses or conferences. All party members are obliged to attend sub-congresses.

CC members who cannot be elected as delegates attend the congress as natural delegates. Only elected delegates have the right to vote. Decisions to change the program and statute are taken by two-thirds of the total number of delegates, other decisions are taken by an absolute majority of the total number of delegates.

Members in prison have the right to express their opinions on agenda items during the congress preparation period.

Imprisoned party members can be elected as honorary members of the CC.

This position of the obstructed CC member is suspended for the duration of imprisonment.

b) Central Committee

The CC is the highest organ of the party between two congresses or conferences. The number of members is determined by the congress and conference. CC members are elected by the congress and conference. There is no requirement to be a delegate or to attend the congress and conference for CC membership. The CC leads the ideological-political-organizational work of the party in the light of the decisions of the congress and conference and manages the party. It is primarily responsible for the organization of the party and all activities.

The CC establishes the organizations needed to carry out party activity, mainly the Political Bureau (SB) and the Organization Bureau (ÖB). The SB is authorized on behalf of the CC in the period between meetings. It leads the party ideologically-politically. The SB cannot change the decisions of the CC. It directly leads the Central Publication and other publication activity. It publishes the Communist, the internal party organ, at least twice a year.

The ÖB is responsible for organizational leadership on behalf of the CC.

When the CC cannot establish a commission to manage the party-affiliated organizations, it appoints one of the CC members.

The CC meets at least once a year. It can also hold an extraordinary meeting upon the call of the SB or the request of one-third of its members. The quorum is determined by the absolute majority of the members of the organ. The SB determines the attendance of substitute members who do not have the right to vote, by taking the opinions of other CC members. Although CC substitute members are not obliged to attend, it is important to ensure their participation since they are candidates to lead the party.

If the CC cannot overcome the loss of will despite the participation of all substitute members in turn, the will of the party is applied for a solution.

After the participation of the substitute members in turn after obstruction of the CC membership, if the condition for the participation of the obstructed full member occurs again, this member continues his duty as a member of the CC from where he left off; in this case, the substitute member who became a full member continues his duty as a substitute member.

c) Regional Committees

The central organization of the party is based on the regional system. Working areas are divided into certain regions, considering economics, political and geographical conditions. In the determined regions, a Regional Committee (RC) is established. The CC must consider the opinions and suggestions of the sub-party committees when electing members to the BK, which it forms by appointment. The secretary of the Regional Committee, who is also a member of the CC, provides the link between the BK and the CC. The secretary is primarily responsible for the work in the region. The BK leads the region in line with central policy.

With the knowledge and approval of the CC, the CC establishes party committees such as Sub-District Committees and Provincial Committees. When they deem it necessary, the Regional Committees, with the approval of the CC, organize regional conferences as a means of understanding the party’s policies in the specific problems of the area and as a means of operating the democratic consultation mechanism.

SECTION V.

Workers’ and Peasants’ Liberation Army of Turkey (TIKKO)

TIKKO, is the armed power of the people under the leadership of TKP-ML. The party leads TIKKO through the Military Commission (MK) determined from within the CC. Party organizations are formed within the TIKKO in accordance with the principle that politics commands weapons.

SECTION VI.

Marxist Leninist Youth Union of Turkey (TMLGB)

The TMLGB, is an autonomous communist youth organization under the leadership of TKP-ML. The party leads the TMLGB through the Youth Commission (GK) determined from within the CC.

SECTION VII.

Communist Women’s Union (KKB)

The KKB, is an autonomous communist women’s organization under the leadership of TKP-ML. The party leads the KKB through the Women’s Commission (KK) which is determined from within the CC.

SECTION VIII.

Financial Resources

TKP-ML adopts the principle of relying on the people to create sources of income. The party’s financial resources include membership fees, party taxes and donations, the rates and amounts of which are determined by the CC, and income obtained by force from the enemy. The CC regulates all expenditures and oversees them through its organizations. All party committees must submit regular reports on their income and expenditure.

Members working as party workers give all their income to the party as long as they participate in production. The needs of party workers are met by the party.

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